La Conte France

1/20/17

My Dear Ones at Home

Just a short note tonight to let you know that I am O.K. I do not think that I have written to you since last Saturday. All week we have been in the trenches, but we are back of the lines now having a rest. The trip in this time was quiet. I was on night outpost duty again, and went for three days & nights without a wink of sleep. We were down in the dug-outs during the day, but they were so cold & wet & so crowded that we could not sleep. There was not room to lay down so I sat on the ground, all day & shivered. We are billeted in a barn now, in a little old French farming village The barn is all open and of course very cold, but at night we double up in our blankets and manage to keep quite warm.

We are having quite a severe touch of winter just now. After a heavy fall of snow, the weather turned cold, and every thing is frozen up. I do hope that the cold weather will not continue long as it is so hard to keep warm

I received your letters tonight written on New Years day. You told me of several parcels sent from home, - a couple from Aunt May & one from Boissevain. I have not yet received a parcel from home, except the one sent by Mrs Mac from Wpg. Neither have I received the one from Boissevain nor any from Aunt May.

I got two nice pair of socks from Aunt Nell this week, filled with candy. Tonight I get a big parcel from Franks (in London) - sausage rolls, a big cake - box of dates - tin of cocoa - tin of tobacco & some chocolate. I never received the parcel that Nellie Pecover sent.

I am going to tell you what I would like you to put in a parcel & send me. A pair of warm gloves - a pair of insoles, a few lead pecils, a few candles a little jar of real butter & a jar of jam, a box of Laxacolds a package of Frutatives a few very cheap handkerchiefs - some home made candy

It is [deleted word “almost] necessary to pack parcels in a tin box very securely, and address very plainly and in such a way that it cannot be erased or torn off

Good night, my dear ones

Markle

Pte W M Pecover

#875439